A straightforward strategy to spatially organize repulsive and attractive cues on Zwitterionic PEDOTs

Abstract

Solving the conflict between the low impedance and biofunctionalization for the patterned conducting polymer biointerface/devices remains a challenge. Moreover, with our limited knowledge, the efforts to fabricate a patterned conducting polymer biointerface free from nonspecific protein/cell interaction are also missing. Herein, we developed a strategy to spatially organize cell-repulsive and attractive cues on an all-conducting-polymer biointerface by using two zwitterionic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) copolymers with opposite cell affinities. This dual-biofunction pattern of the PEDOT platform, mimicking the brain microenvironment for neural circuit assembly, organizes the cell-repulsive and specific cell-attractive cues spatially to regulate the cell attachment and differentiation. This platform also demonstrated a striking integration of low impedance and nonspecific protein/cell-binding resistance. We envision this approach, utilizing the diverse zwitterionic PEDOTs, would be attractive for bioelectronic applications, where a precise collection/delivery of electrical signals is necessary.